22 Mar 2015

Government departments, business community and private properties owners have been urged to embrace and support the Botswana Fibre Networks (BoFiNet) projects by allowing project teams to access their premises.

The projects, FTTx & Wi-Fi facilities are expected to improve Internet access and connectivity to operators and business community across the country.

The FTTx and WiFi project aims to build and manage an FTTx and WiFi infrastructure that would create a platform for service providers to provide connectivity within a large spectrum of locations without exorbitant investment overlays.

Speaking during a breakfast seminar to update stakeholders in Maun about the overview of the projects, strategy and business development executive, Mr Thato Jensen highlighted that the project is a government initiative aimed at improving Information Communication Technology (ICT) in line with the broadband strategy.

Mr Jensen appealed to stakeholders to avail their internal technical resources to oversee BoFiNet teams during installations. He said they believe they should act at the public interest hence key stakeholder involvement is important to ensure the project remain sustainable.

He said ICT usage in Botswana is lower as compared to other countries noting that they would bring infrastructure close to businesses premises and as a result it would promote productivity and growth in economy. In addition, he said it is important to ensure that ICT services become affordable in terms of accessibility.

Stakeholders learnt that the projects had been rolled out in Maun and that they target strategic areas such as hospitals, government offices, airports, and commercial areas such as filling stations, shopping centres, bus ranks and office parks.

It is anticipated that the deployment of the FTTx & Wi-Fi facilities will offer Batswana new and exciting opportunities in the era of global connectivity.

Mr Jensen highlighted that the penetration of broadband will increase data traffic and increase the economic activity, through the commencement of new business opportunities, which will result in increased tax incomes and some businesses investing in broadband.

“With this deployment, there will be increased Internet connectivity, levels of e-commerce which will enable local companies to compete in the global market place. It will also increase innovation and business opportunities and the value of private properties and competitiveness by having alignment with the government national broadband strategy,” he said.

He said the project is funded by government and sponsored by Ministry of Transport and Communications with the aim of transforming the lives of the citizens through the broadband connectivity.

BoFiNet is an organisation wholly owned by the government and has been mandated to manage an important national strategic asset in the high capacity fibre network within Botswana as well as the international terrestrial links from Botswana to the rest of the world.

For her part, assistant district commissioner, Ms Agelinah Leano welcome the project and assured the project teams a great support from government side. She said the project would be a solution to the issues of GABS systems being down most of the time hence compromising service delivery. ENDS